My-Not-So-Obligatory-Yet-Still-Important-What-I-Learned-In-China List

Okay, so I couldn't let it go completely. In the spirit of my list-making tendencies, here's a broad list of what we learned on our trip to China. Mostly the funny parts. But funny is real life.

1. Dramamine is essential on any trip. No matter where you're going or what you're doing, you'll inevitably want it at some point.
2. If you look especially pitiful to the flight attendant, she'll take extra good care of you.
3. Never make a Chinese man late. Especially if you already nicknamed him Ping Pong.
4. Don't underestimate the power of charades and body language. Eventually they'll get the point across. And put the sales people in good spirits since they'll undoubtedly laugh at you. Shameless.
5. Ever want to feel like a unicorn? Go to a Chinese train station and be the only white person there. Then people will stare at you and exclaim, "Wow, they really do exist." But you won't know they're saying that because they don't speak English.
6. If you're not sure what the shallow metal bowl that is sitting next to your sleeper on the train is for, assume it's a bed pan and treat it accordingly.
7. Always, always, always establish a meeting spot at the train station. Assuming you get off at the right stop.
8. When riding in a car or van in China, just close your eyes if you don't want to elevate your blood pressure.
9. The question still lingers, which is more fun: homemade fun or a Wii?
10. Always write down things that are funny so you can revisit them later. At more appropriate times.
11. Old Navy isn't a nickname, but they will email you more than your parents.
12. Never leave without a substantial amount of toilet paper in your backpack.
13. If you can get really good at holding in your liquids, you can usually wait to find a western toilet and avoid squatty potties altogether.
14. It's possible to not go to the bathroom for 12 hours. (I didn't say it was healthy, just possible.)
15. Always snag the extra toothbrushes from the nice hotel rooms in Beijing.
16. There are no accidents when it comes to toothbrushes. That sucker touches the faucet water and it's game over.
17. Run faster than The Flash through Chinese locker rooms while looking down at the floor or up at the ceiling.
18. There is a real need in this world for designated stroller parking.
19. Chancing explosive diarrhea is worth it for ice in your beverage.
20. And street food.
21. You can never have too many wet wipes handy.
22. Asians really do carry around umbrellas.
23. Don't get overly ambitious when the buffet finally serves sweet and sour chicken. You'll pay for it.
24. Chopsticks make it super hard to sneak food off someone else's plate.
25. The stair stepper at the gym doesn't hold a candle to the Great Wall.
26. Sometimes you just have to leave in the middle of lunch to get sick because the noodles were too spicy. It's okay, another foreigner will understand and watch your kids for you.
27. Noodles can look like tapeworms. Be sure you know the difference before telling a story.
28. A little self-disclosure can make a good story great.
29. Mulan is so much cooler than I ever knew.
30. If you have to ask what kind of meat it is, don't eat it. Or pretend it's chicken.
31. Fried eggplant sure does look a lot like sweet and sour chicken.
32. Fried eggplant and sweet and sour chicken do not taste the same. On any level.
33. Chinese fortune cookies don't actually exist in China. Bummer.
34. Sit close to the grill at Korean BBQ or else you'll get so hungry you'll take a bite of raw onion.
35. Sometimes kids practice their English on you. And they only know animal vocabulary. Just roll with it.
36. ALWAYS ask if anyone needs to go to the bathroom before moving on to the next activity.
37. Women are doves. Unless they talk about poop. And then they're pigeons.
38. The smell of urine lingers everywhere. Just don't ask.
39. Sometimes you don't have any time to take care of your own basic needs. So you pee in the pool. Just kidding. Maybe. It was definitely suggested at one point.
40. You have to ease back into dairy. In the words of Phil Dunphy, "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." Smooth is totally what we're going for here.

My Not-so-obligatory-yet-still-important "What I Learned Junior Year" List

1. It is possible to bake 1,000 cookies in one week.

2. You're never too old or too smart to make a puppet show for a class project.

3. Finally finding a hairdresser after 3 years is only marginally ridiculous.

4. Papers start to write themselves after a while.

5. Bribing boys with baked goods to do odd jobs around the house is okay.

6. Not knowing how to change lightbulbs is not.

7. Crunchy peanut butter is not all bad.

8. Neither is country music.

9. A life-size replica of the Tabernacle of Moses actually exists.

10. Procrastinating until the morning things are due is completely normal.
11. Getting fresh eggs will make all of your baked goods 567x better. Approximately.
12. You can start your own band with play instruments you bought at Cracker Barrel. Piano Man on harmonica= legit.
13. Sweet, sweet time with Daddy gets even sweeter with age. Sharing music festivals together and discovering new bands while we munch on popsicles is something to always cherish.
14. It's okay to cry on your birthday. Again. But more embarrassing while you wallow on the kitchen floor.
15. It's totally possible to become best friends with four other people once you're trapped in an office with them for a solid week.
16. Food is always better when it's miniature sized.
17. Never walk around with a backpack full of bread.
18. Junior year is not too late to have a quarter-life crisis and explore all sorts of ridiculous career options.
19. Sometimes you just have to be a princess and iron your sheets so your monogram lies flat.
20. Being an English major is a lifestyle.
21. It's totally okay to bake your professor an apple pie before the final in hopes that your grade will get bumped up a little bit.
22. If you spend enough time in British literature, you'll start to spell words with the extra 'u.'
23. It is entirely possible to have one too many cheese straws and cucumber sandwiches.
24. Attempting to watch the entire season of The Wonder Years in one semester is a noble, but impossible, dream.
25. Chick-fil-a breakfast is meant to be eaten while you study the Word.
26. You know you're real friends when you only salt half of the chips at dinner.
27. Wanting to create a TV series called "Dairy Belles" about two girls on a quest to find the best soft-serve in America is a legitimate alternative to graduate school.
28. Always check your watch when there's a time difference and you spring forward so you don't wake up at 4:30am instead of 7:30am.
29. Everyone has a cat voice. You just have to get in touch with your inner feline. #meowzaa
30. You can't spell chunk without hunk.
31. Sometimes you just have to have a meltdown in Chill when they don't have your usual flavor.
32. You know you've reached a new low when you can't go home because you'll bake instead of write your papers.
33. The difference between a cat and a comma is that one has claws before the paws and the other has clause before the pause.
34. Growing up only gets harder.
35. These lists only get longer and longer each year.

My definitely-not-obligatory-yet-still-important "what I learned summer in between sophomore and junior year" list

otherwise known as, "The Longest Title Ever" and "It's My Blog And I Can Do What I Want."

Summer was a weird time. It's strange that I've literally been in school for the past year with few breaks and I'm just going to keep on going. I guess what this is what it will be like to have a big girl job in the real world? Good thing I'm going to be a teacher. Here's what summer taught me:

1. Outback Curbside To-Go with online ordering is the best and worst thing in existence.

2. Never leave Hillary alone in the kitchen. (See this for proof.)

3. It's okay that we never went to the Helen Keller festival. It's not like she got to see it anyway.

4. The dynamics of our friend group may seem strange. But we are similar to most television casts and that is why we're so darn funny.

5. Coupons are nothing to be ashamed of. Use them with pride.

6. Always feed Dad before taking him antiquing.

7. Don't kid yourself and order a small soft-serve cone at Chick-fil-A. Go big or go home.

8. Cracker Barrel has sub-par service.

9. Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.

10. Reading in accents makes any boring subject way more interesting.

11. Costco sells Nutella practically by the gallon.

12. TV Land has some seriously entertaining shows.

13. Step Aerobics can make you want to punch people in the face.

14. There's nothing wrong with staying home to fix up your thrift store finds on a Friday night.

15. I can do a master job at parallel parking if the entire football is watching me from the sidewalk.

16. Hillary can't back her car up with someone screaming at her.

17. You need to have a game plan for Chewlacla.

18. Homemade granola might be the best snack food ever.

My Life in Lists #14

Eleven Things I’ve learned from Mary Poppins:

1. Well begun is half-done.

2. Promises are like pie crusts: easily made, easily broken.

3. In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game.

4. Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious: when the cat has got your tongue, there’s no need to dismay! Just summon up this word, and then you’ve got a lot to say.

5. When you’re with a sweep, you’re in glad company.

6. Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking.

7. Never explain anything.

8. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in the most delightful way.

9. Close your mouth. We are not a codfish.

10. Never judge things by their appearance… even carpetbags.

11. Don’t fall and smudge the drawing.

My not-so-obligatory-yet-still-important "what I learned sophomore year: part TWO" list

This year was great. Seriously great. Except I realized how old I'm getting when I thought about how much history I've already lived through. On a lighter note, here's a snapshot of what I learned outside of the classroom this semester...

1. Creeping is an art form. A very, very delicate art form.

2. A 20-year-old's body can't handle the same things as a 19-year-old's, so you have to stop late night trips for doughnuts if you don't want to pay for it the next morning.

3. Turning 20 means your next birthday is 21, which means your next birthday is 22, which means your life is practically over.

4. Wing Zone delivers even in the middle of a tornado.

5. The Braves, however, do not play during severe weather.

6. Make goals, not foals.

7. Putting off a 10-12 page research paper until the day before its due when you still haven't even finished the book yet is a dumb move. Dumb dumb dumb.

8. You're never too old to go see Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 in theaters. Twice.

9. A royal wedding is a once in a lifetime event, so it's worth waking up at 3am to watch the live coverage, even if it is finals week.

10. If you can't decide what you want for dinner, it's okay to call 3 different places to order your favorite things from each.

11. Domino's pizza tracker is the best thing invented. Ever.

12. After sampling dumplings from all over the Auburn/Opelika area, MK's has the best. There, it's settled.

13. Everything in life can relate to two things: 1. Mean Girls 2. Modern Family

14. Meryl Streep is always the right choice. She could play Batman and she would be the right choice.

15. The last day of higher level English classes will always be the best. Tea parties, bread pudding, sentimental speeches, and maybe even a few glistening tears.

16. If you're going to make bread from scratch, double the recipe. But don't put it all in one pan.

17. Human Behavior classes come in handy when you need to figure out why your family is so weird. And lovable. But mostly weird.

18. StumbleUpon and Pintrest are the best and worst things that ever happened.

19. Sometimes professors are actually knowledgeable on subjects outside of their fields, like how to set up tigermail as your incoming mail server on your iphone.

20. You're about 1,000x less likely to skip class if you have someone to walk with you.

21. Total Eclipse of the Heart could be misconstrued as a song about Jesus.

22. Being matchers is underrated.

23. Sometimes you come home and your family is all granola. Just roll with it.

24. Don't start drinking coffee and coke if you never have before in your life. It will just make you anxious. And you'll have to pee a lot.

25. Go big or go home.

26. Banana pudding is worthless without the bananas.

27. WebMD is always a good idea.

28. You know, if you want to spend your birthday hanging out with your parents, its okay.

29. Wearing real shoes and a real bra is serious business.

30. Any movie featuring "Firework" in the preview is a guaranteed good movie.

My Life in Lists #13

Well, this is kind of awkward. Sorry I'm such a neglectful blogger. I've been working hard at school and just life in general. So in lieu of a post in which I created or cooked something, I'll give you a list of the projects I can't wait to begin!

1. This pinata via Ruffled. I'll add a few variations of my own.

2. Learning the easy way to applique via Little Birdie Secrets

3. Big project...but I want to repurpose an old door to look like this. Maybe I'll start out small with the window panes I have in the garage first. (via The Pleated Poppy...my obsession.)

4. Rosette pillow via Crazy Wonderful

5. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups via design*sponge

Okay, time to slow down.

Did I mention I got some job offers today? And they sounded pretty cool (and creative) too. You gotta love sorority alumni looking out for their girls. :)

My Life in Lists #12

Top 15 books on my reading list (that aren't required for classes). My goal is to have finished them all by next year. We shall see...

1. There Are No Children Here Alex Kotlowitz

2. The Company They Kept: Writers on Unforgettable Friendships Robert B. Silvers and Barbara Epstein

3. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

4. A Man Called Intrepid William Stevenson

5. 1984 George Orwell

6. Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

7. Brave New World Aldous Huxley

8. Jayber Crowe Wendell Barry

9. The Art of Racing in the Rain Garth Stein

10. The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Society Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

11. The Help Kathryn Stockett

12. Emma Jane Austen

13. My Uncle Oswald Roald Dahl

14. The Importance of Being Earnest Oscar Wilde

15. The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan James C. Humes

Also, does making this list count as a goal for 2011? I feel an immense amount of pressure to make goals, but I don't have any except my goal to make goals for 2012. Does the word goal sound weird now?

My not-so-obligatory-yet-still-important "what I learned sophomore year: part one" list

I was going to wait until May to post this, but I learned a whole lot in one semester, so why wait?

1. You know that saying, "Revenge is a dish best served cold?" Oh no, it should be more like, "Revenge is dish that should be served as a corndog." Not quite as catchy, but wayyyy more true.

2. If you're going to whip your hair back and forth, just be careful not to shatter a glass.

3. Check the boxes before taking multiple cold medicines in one night.

4. Just say no to glitter. In any way, shape, or form.

5. Vienna waits for you.

6. True friends are the ones who will pee in their pants from laughter in front of you. And admit it.

7. Always grab your tiger card on the way out for a fire drill. And a bra.

8. Aerosols should always be sprayed outside.

9. "I was afraid it was going to rain" is not a legit excuse for taking jeep doors up the elevator in front of the RA.

10. Always keep a plunger in the guest bathroom.

11. Find the most private bathrooms. And keep them a secret.

12. You're never too old to watch childhood movies. And maybe even cry just a little bit.

13. Lygers DO exist.

14. It's okay to want your life to turn out just like Kathleen Kelly's.

15. Life's too short to eat bad steak.

16. Sometimes it's socially acceptable to make mildly inappropriate comments in class.

17. Never tweet negatively about Paula Deen.

18. Stalking members of the men's swim team is no big deal, as long as you feel good about it.

19. Having a name that fits perfectly on scantrons will never get old.

20. Mentally hashtagging life is a sign that you tweet too much. #totesoutofcontrol

21. Any word worth having in your vocabulary is one that can easily be abbreved.

22. If you're going to shower, at least jazz it up with some bath crayons.

23. Asian night in Tiger Zone will beat you. Every single time.

24. Outdoor concerts are the best kinds of concerts.

25. Live on the sassy side of life.

26. Maple doughnuts are only for people like Buddy the elf.

27. Sometimes you just have to throw away a trash can.

28. Don't eat waffles if you're allergic to them. Or go to a Waffle House.

29. Three turns should do it, I think.

30. Don't be a Connie.

31. 5 hour energy shots taste like chalk. Chase it down with some chocolate milk or something.

32. If you're going to faint at the doctor's office, best go to Urgent Care on South College.

33. Sometimes you just have to cry on your way to class. Life happens.

34. You can't sweet talk your way into the hay field parking the night before a big game. No matter how cute you are.

35. Life's weird.

a house is built of walls and beams, but a home is built of love and dreams.

Why I LOVE Birmingham and will miss it:

1. See my favorite Birmingham restaurants. This enough is reason to love it.

2. It's kind of under the radar, but the art scene here is definitely present. Sure, we have a nice museum. But there are always art festivals going on somewhere. Magic City Art Connection ALWAYS has something going on.

3. Birmingham has a pretty legit music scene. All of the big names come here, but there's definitely plenty of the coffeehouse shows to go around. And around. And around. And on the off chance that a musical artist is on tour and doesn't come here, chances are they'll probably

hit Atlanta, which is close enough.

4. There are all different kinds of people here. Birmingham isn't just for yuppies or baby boomers, people of every age, race, nationality, etc. are here.

5. Like Goldilocks taking baby bear's porridge because it's "justttt right," Birmingham's size is just the same.

6. 4 hours from the beach. 2 from Lake Martin. 2 from Atlanta. 3 from Nashville. Holla.

7. The shopping is pretty legit. Big chain stores, small boutiques, specialty stores...you name it, we've got it.

8. While we may not be New Orleans (pre-Katrina) or Mobile with old French charm or St. Augustine with Spanish influenced architecture, we've still got plenty of cuteness to go around. Just take a drive through some residential parts of Homewood.

9. You want to learn defensive driving and/or navigation? Try driving around this city. There are some crazies out on the road. And all of the one way streets, random alleys, and weird turns are sure to get even the most seasoned drivers turned around.

10. As sappy as it sounds, this is where my roots are. My family is here. My friends are here. This is familiar. This is home.

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world

10 Test Birmingham Restaurants.

1. Ocean Holy smokes. Best meal of my life. Words cannot even describe how amazing it is.

2. Rojo Superrrr trendy, but delish. And everyone can go there and be happy since there's an American side of the menu as well as a Latin American side. (Go for the second.) And if you don't take my word for it, I mean, Bob Dylan eats there. NBD.

3. Nabeel's Greek food at its finest. And the little market attached is super cute, too.

4. Savage's Bakery I've been going here since I was in the womb. IT IS SO GOOD. Lunch or just a snack, it's one of the best bakeries in town.

5. Surin West I'm not super into Thai food, but I will eat just about anything here.

6 Iz Cafe Best chicken salad and lemon squares in town. For sure.

7. Taziki's Is it sad that I know what their specials are everyday and always get them on Wednesdays and weekends?

8. New York Pizza We used to celebrate our wins (and heck, our losses, too) for church league here because they have the best pizza in town.

9. Pappas' Grill These people are legit off the boat from Greece. And they fight all the time, but Mrs. Papas wins every time. It is like watching a scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. And they have the best hamburger in town. Odd, for a Greek restaurant, but it's true.

10. Cobb Lane Too bad it closed. Super upsetting. I used to have tea parties here when I was itty bitty.

My Life in Lists #11

This is the most pitiful, little pathetic summer reading list of all time.

1. Skin and Other Stories by Roald Dahl

2. Crazy Love by Francis Chan

3. Let The Great World Spin by Colum McAnn

4. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

5. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

6. A Separate Piece by John Knowles (annual re-read)

7. Radical by David Platt

8. Campbell Essential Biology with Physiology (summer school ate up a lot of time, okay?)

9. The Hound of The Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

But, I did make a HUGE dent in my read through the Bible in one year plan. Like, more than 3 months worth of a dent.

My Life in Lists #10

ten songs GUARANTEED to get stuck in your head...all. day. long.

1. Private Eyes Daryl Hall and John Oates Basically, all of their songs are super catchy. But, that double clap thing is the clincher, for sure.

2. (I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight Cutting Crew I don't even know what it is about this song that makes it so addicting. But it is.

3. Ice Ice Baby Vanilla Ice When have you heard someone say, "Stop," and you (either verbally or mentally) add "collaborate and listen"? That's right, word to your mother.

4. Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Astley Does it count as being rick-rolled if it wasn't a surprise?

5. Just Dance Lady Gaga Because this song is SO catchy, it is seriously the best to use when you're trying to memorize information quickly. If you ever need to know the 17 essential elements for plants, Lady Gaga and I have you covered.

6. Whip It Devo What is this song even about?

7. What Is Love Haddaway A Night at the Roxbury, thank you.

8. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Wham! This song is my alarm on my phone. Just in case you wanted to know.

9. Everybody Have Fun Tonight Wang Chung Everybody have fun tonight...

10. The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens Wimoweh. Wimoweh. Wimoweh.

My Life in Lists #9

I move back to school in less than two weeks. That little number begs the question: where did summer go?

10 Things I've done with my summer:

1. Made the grades. There's nothing wrong with community college, but it was an experience to say the least. Biology II was a lot less stressful here, but my huge sustainability project was a thorn in my side. If my BIOL 1000 class of 300+ students had to make individual power points, we would still be sitting in the auditorium.

2. Made some money. My little summer job turned into "spend everyday you're not at school here" kind of job. That was okay, though. It gave me the opportunity to save some money for something in the future (travel, perhaps?) and put some money in my pocket for the time being.

3. Made Martha Stewart proud. Okay, that was wishful thinking. But I did make lots of crafty gifts to give to my sorority little sister. The family tree is stinking precious, as is the clipboard. I'm just glad I won't be up in the middle of the night, balancing Thoreau on one hand, and a canvas with wet paint on the other. (But who am I kidding? That's like my dream evening.)

4. Made the postmaster upset. I had lots of friends at camp this summer, so naturally I had to send them all letters. Only I like to get super creative with my letters (see No. 3), especially with my alphabet stamp sets. So I'm sure United States postal workers were not amused to have to decipher my "artwork."

5. Made the transition. I'm not an ignorant freshman anymore. I'm now an ignorant sophomore. But it has been a year since I left home for the first time on my own, and I'm still doing just fine. No major breakdowns. No truly traumatic experiences. No major lifestyle change. Yep, doing just fine.

6. Made (more) time for the Lord. I kind of went into the summer with a bad attitude about what He was going to do with me. Boy, was I wrong. He shook me, rocked me, and totally blew me away. Even sweeter...I got to share what was going on in my life with some lovely friends during all of it. They completely challenged me, encouraged me, and committed to pray for me.

7. Made some memories. In the words of Mary Elizabeth Turner, "I love that we made a ton of inside jokes just now." So thankful for precious time with precious friends during the freedom only summertime can bring.

8. Made some plans. I feel like I have some direction to my life, without having "make it or break it" plans. And I like it that way. I like not knowing exactly what the Lord has got in store for me, but that there are options that glorify Him with the abilities that I currently possess.

9. Made a dent in my reading list. Okay, it was more like a scratch. Sadly, this summer did not lend the usual abundant reading time usually present in my breaks from school. However, I did read enough to satiate my appetite for the written word. Plus, the more time devoted to reading, the less time to spend on everything else.

10. Made a motto for the summer. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Oh the places you'll go/My Life in Lists #8

This summer is a bit different from any summers past; I'm stuck taking classes and working. Blah. It's not THAT bad, but it leaves no time for a great summer trip. Fortunately, I've had opportunities to log some serious travel miles in the good ole US of A and parts of Central & South America. However, I've always got a new place on my list to visit. My sweet dad understands my desire to just go places, but right now I'm a bit young to jet off to foreign lands alone, and most of these places aren't exactly family vacation sort of places. Ergo, the list keeps on growing. So here's my wish list of travels:
1. England: I hope this one is about to be marked off of my list! I'm planning on studying abroad in London either next summer or the next, and I'm way pumped! I've got an extremely long "to-do" list of things to accomplish while I'm there, including a visit to platform 9 and 3/4, a trip to the river Thames, and visiting every tourist-y spot ever. Oh, and of course reading British literature in the motherland that inspired it all. I'm sure there's a reason T.S. Eliot gave up his american citizenship to become a british subject.
2. Greece: Let's be honest, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants really made me want to go there. But get real for a second, when you watched Kostas save Lena and then take her out on the sailboat, didn't you want to go, too? That's what I thought. So maybe my initial desire was out of ignorance. But then I did my research. Greece is pretty dang legit. I mean, the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding had it right, Greece IS basically the birthplace of, well, everything. They DO kind of have a leg up on everyone else since they've got the greatest cultural monument in the entire world, aka the Parthenon.
3. India: There's not really any one thing that makes me want to go to India, or anything in particular that I want to see. I just think it's such a different part of the world that I would enjoy seeing.
4. Morocco: As if the admission of wanting to go to Greece because of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was lame, my reasoning behind wanting to go to Morocco is even more lame, if that's possible. I've wanted to go to Morocco since I did a project on the country in (wait for it...) the second grade. The country's basically a crossroad to the rest of the world, so it's got history from all over built up. On my list is to go to a legit Moroccan bazaar, admire the crazy rich architecture (it's once been occupied by giants like the Moors, Romans, Arabs), hit up two of the most important cities that are/have been playgrounds to writers, millionaires, spies, and crooks alike, Tangier and Casablanca. I mean, it WAS the first nation to recognize the United States of America as its own independent country, so I guess the least I can do is sort of pay them back by pumping some money into their economy, right?
5. South Africa: One of my best friends basically grew up in South Africa while her parents were missionaries there. Basically, she's opened up my eyes to a place I've never really thought about traveling to before she enraptured me with all it has to offer. I want to go on a safari worthy of Hemingway's admiration (duh, it's Africa, after all), have high tea on the terrace, and witness the monkeys that will supposedly attempt to snatch even a baby. Okay, maybe I don't want to witness a kidnapping, so the monkeys sans children.
6. Russia: It is a little known fact about me, but I really like Imperial Russian history. Naturally, Russia isn't exactly a hot vacation spot; it's more like a vast wasteland. But, I think it's totally worth the trip if you can appreciate all it has to offer. From the Winter Palace, to the Gatchina Palace, to the Church on the Blood, to Saint Basil's Cathedral, basically, I want to see a lot of churches and palaces. But, seriously, why are some of the most legit literary works Russian exports? Because they don't exactly have a whole lot to do there. But the Russian ballet is about at legit as it gets. If you anything about dance at all, the names Balanchine and Baryshnikov should ring a bell. Where do you think they trained (prior to defecting, buy hey, who REALLY wants to live in Russia)?

My Life in Lists #7

Upon being reunited with most of my closest friends, I've been able to quote many a movies that we all hold near and dear to our hearts. We have lines that we say over, and over, and over again that still cause quite a giggle. Since I'm on this kick of making out lists, I thought I'd throw out some of my favorite movie quotes of all time.
Without further ado, and in no particular order...
1. "I don't know how to tell you this, but there's a chinese family in our bathroom." (500) Days of Summer
2. "I came down from that cloud REAL QUICKLY." Hairspray
3. "We could have been killed...or worse, expelled." Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
4. "That's okay, baby, walk it off. YOU'RE STILL HOT." Valentine's Day
5. "Sorry baby, didn't mean to...spit...on you." It's Complicated
6. "A mall? Where y'all think we're at, Boise, Idaho? Shooot." Adventures in Babysitting
7." I'd give her a HA! And a HI-YA! And then a OUU-WA! And I'd kick her, sir." Anastasia
8. "You don't smell like Santa! You smell like beef and cheese!" Elf
9. "I DON'T KNOW YOUR LIFE!" Baby Mama
10. "I don't know, but I think what I've got is something slightly resembling... GUMPTION!" The Holiday
11. "We're looking for his son Fabio" Finding Nemo
12. "The name's NWANDA." Dead Poets Society
13. "Don't put twinkies on your pizza." Heavyweights
14. "I look like my great Aunt Tessie. I SMELL like my great Aunt Tessie." Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
15. "This is as good as it's gonna get." Princess Diaries
16. "Mmmmmn...niiiiiiccccee." 27 Dresses
17. "Don't touch anything. You could get hepatitis." 10 Things I Hate About You
18. "You have this kind of problem? Yeah... of course you did, you saucy minx!" Love Actually
19. "Put some windex on it!" My Big Fat Greek Wedding
20. "Let me break it down for you like a fraction." Oceans Twelve
21. "Good Morning! Welcome to another day of higher education!" Pretty in Pink
22. "You go, Glenn Coco!" Mean Girls
23. "Only grown-up men are scared of women." The Sound of Music
24. "He makes me melt like a popsicle on the fourth of July." Little Rascals
25. "I'm bakin' like a toasted cheese-it!" The Sandlot
26. "Congratulations. I'm one hundred years old." The Proposal
27. "You are a lone reed, standing tall, waving boldly in the corrupt sands of commerce." You've Got Mail
28. "Is this like an RSVP thing?" Legally Blonde
29. "You're good James, but, you're just not good enough." The Parent Trap
30. "I used to be legit. In fact, I was too legit. I was too legit to quit. But now I'm not legit. I'm un-legit. And for that reason I must quit." Hot Rod

My Life in Lists #6

Since I've been home, I've watched an unusual amount of television...mostly, just because I haven't had this much free time in a loooooong time. In addition to my usual favorites, I've added a few more shows to the mix. So, I decided to make a list of my favorite TV shows of all time.

1. Murder She Wrote-- This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE. I know, I'm like a 60 year old woman for liking this show. But I, proudly, fess up to owning every season that has been put out on DVD.

2. Criminal Minds-- This is my most recent addiction, but at the top of my list. My parents are hooked on this show, so it didn't take me very long to catch on. It took me a little while to get used to how creepy it is, but it's a smart show, if that makes sense.

3. Boy Meets World-- Classic. I could watch this show all day long.

4. Pushing Daisies-- I'm so very sad this show got cancelled. It was so precious, from the characters to the sets, just all around a great two seasons of murder-mystery, but in a fun, upbeat sort of way.

5. Modern Family-- This show is just plain funny. Just watch the episode with the pigeon and you'll see.

6. The Mentalist-- Another show my parents like which then became a favorite of mine. I was so pumped to see Red John make another appearance on the season finale.

7. Saturday Night Live-- I didn't really get into this show until I was at Auburn. Always good for a laugh. Especially Kristen Wiig's characters.

8. Bones-- Another "smart" murder mystery show. It almost makes me want to become a forensic anthropologist...but not really.

9. 7th Heaven-- This was one of the first shows I really "followed." I still remember when the series finale came on when I was in 9th grade, it was kind of a big deal.

10. Glee-- The music is catchy, the banter is witty, the drama is juicy. It's ridiculous, but I can't stay away.

SUCH great cast chemistry

My Life in Lists #5

Here's my obligatory "What I Learned Freshman Year" list.

1. Don't spray too much air freshener in your dorm room near the overly-sensitive smoke detector.

2. The Auburn firemen are as good looking as everyone says.

3. Never try to sit on the second floor of the library after 8pm if you have any hopes of getting work done.

4. Always be friends with the GTAs. They can really help you out with old tests, not counting you absent, and tracking down professors who never show up to office hours.

5. Never try to eat lunch at Lupton Deli in between class changes.

6. It's okay to be a suck-up to professors.

7. Mom's always right.

8. Call Dad first.

9. How to pick a lock with a bobby pin and a screwdriver.

10. Use the excuse "I don't know; I'm a freshman" to justify ignorance/stupidity/anything else.

11. Always go to the med clinic with a full bladder.

12. Go see movies on weekdays instead of Friday and Saturday nights.

13. Find the children's book section in the library for relief from boring biology readings.

14. Showering is optional.

15. Everything at Chick-fil-A starts to taste the same after a while.

16. Be wary of computer-based classes.

17. How to make a legit grilled cheese sandwich with bread, cheese, aluminum foil, and an iron.

18. The importance of getting your foot in the door.

19. How little sleep a person actually needs to function.

20. Pedestrians don't always have the right-of-way.

21. Quiet hours are just a suggestion.

22. No matter how busy life gets, this much free time will never roll around again.

23. Freshman 15 happens.

24. You win some, you lose some.

25. Always show up to exams with extra scantrons; you'll be everyones new best friend.

26. At all costs, avoid eating a breakfast high in fiber before water aerobics.

27. Softening butter takes 30 seconds...not 3 minutes.

28. A small kitchen fire is really no big deal.

29. Assigned seats are established on the first day of class, even if not by the professor.

30. Life's not a competition.

My Life in Lists #4

10 things I'm wishing for right now:

1. A room to myself
2. More hours in the day
3. A jar of Nutella
4. A chance to just sit and watch Peter Pan (2003)
5. A British accent
6. Birmingham restaurants
7. All of my stuff to be packed up
8. Clean sheets (I just don't even see the point anymore...)
9. An 'A' in Spanish
10. That I could sleep with my biology book under my pillow and that the exam fairy will replace it with the answers to the test

I don't know what this has to do with anything; just take it for what it's worth

My Life in Lists #3

Last night I was telling Jana how I created a playlist of my favorite 30 secular songs of all time. (And about how little variety there is. But I know what I like.) So here it is...(more or less in order. it's kinda close.)

1. Lovers in Japan-- Coldplay
2. Life in Technicolor ii-- Coldplay
3. You and I Both-- Jason Mraz
4. Your Body Is A Wonderland-- John Mayer
5. Viva La Vida-- Coldplay
6. Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours-- Stevie Wonder
7. I've Got the World On A String-- Frank Sinatra
8. On Top-- The Killers
9. Politik-- Coldplay
10. You Send Me-- Aretha Franklin
11. Moses (Live)-- Coldplay
12. In My Place-- Coldplay
13. You Make My Dreams Come True-- Daryl Hall and John Oates
14. Mr. Blue Sky-- Electric Light Orchestra
15. Bennie And The Jets-- Elton John
16. Fly Me To The Moon-- Frank Sinatra
17. Beyond the Sea-- Bobby Darin
18. Nothing Left to Lose-- Needtobreathe
19. These Arms of Mine-- Otis Redding
20. The Girl-- City and Colour
21. When the Night Comes-- Dan Auerbach
22. Strawberry Swing-- Coldplay
23. City of Blinding Lights-- U2
24. You Are The Best Thing-- Ray LaMontagne
25. Best for Last-- ADELE
26. Wouldn't It Be Nice-- The Beach Boys
27. The Feeling-- Ben Rector
28. Perfect-- Jon McLaughlin
29. Come Dance With Me-- Frank Sinatra
30. I'd Rather Be With You-- Joshua Radin

coldplay in concert may 2009

john mayer in concert february 2010

My Life in Lists #2

10 things I'm kind of obsessed with right now:
1. Ruffles. ruffles. ruffles.
2. Other people's blogs.
3. The color yellow.
4. Ben Rector's music.
5. Paper crafts.
6. Foreign languages.
7. Croissants.
8. "The Mentalist" television show
9. Easter eggs.
10. Stockpiling craft ideas for when I have spare time.